Chapter 219: pool party IX

Chapter 219: Chapter 219: pool party IX

Evelyn had never believed she had done anything wrong that night.

If anything, she had thought the situation unfair.

Anthony was still Vivienne’s fiancé.

And yet Vivienne had seemed perfectly comfortable giving everyone around them reason to question the engagement.

Then, only a few days later, the engagement had ended.

Evelyn had been surprised.

She had asked Anthony about it when they happened to speak. She had even wondered whether the dance at the Ball had caused it.

Had Vivienne seen them?

Had she been angry?

Had Anthony finally realized something?

But Anthony had simply told her that the decision had been mutual.

They had both agreed to end the engagement.

Nothing more.

Evelyn had accepted his answer.

At least outwardly.

Privately, she had drawn her own conclusions.

Perhaps it hadn’t been the dance.

Perhaps Anthony had finally learned about Damian.

Perhaps he had finally seen what everyone else had been seeing.

Whatever the reason—

The engagement was over.

And when Evelyn looked at Vivienne now, she couldn’t help thinking—

You deserved this.

It was an unkind thought.

Evelyn didn’t take it back.

Vivienne had been given everything.

The position.

The family.

Anthony’s name.

Years of certainty.

And somehow, she had still managed to make room for another man.

Perhaps the broken engagement was simply the consequence.

Vivienne gave her a brief roll of the eyes before turning back toward Claire and Amelia.

Evelyn’s brows lifted slightly.

There it was again.

That attitude.

They shared several classes at Saint Albion, yet somehow Vivienne always managed to make Evelyn feel as though she barely existed.

Vivienne was always surrounded by people.

Always laughing.

Always talking.

Always moving from one thing to another.

As though the entire university had been arranged for her convenience.

Evelyn had watched her from the edges of their shared classes more times than she cared to admit.

Vivienne rarely looked toward her.

Perhaps she didn’t notice her.

Perhaps she simply didn’t care.

Evelyn wasn’t sure which possibility annoyed her more.

The news of the broken engagement hadn’t even reached her immediately.

It had taken a couple of days before she fully understood what had happened.

By then, Vivienne seemed to have already returned to her usual life.

As though nothing had happened.

And today, Evelyn was seeing exactly how little the end of the engagement seemed to have affected her.

She had watched Vivienne laugh with Fred.

Then join the pool race.

Then fall into the water.

And afterward, she had noticed the way Vivienne played along when Fred flirted with her.

It was subtle.

But Evelyn noticed.

Vivienne knew exactly what she was doing.

She was a flirt.

There was no other word for it.

Then Damian appeared.

Evelyn’s expression tightened.

She watched him step directly behind Vivienne.

Watched him take Fred’s place.

Watched the two of them compete in the tug-of-war.

And then, the moment Vivienne slipped, Damian abandoned the game entirely.

He caught her.

Around the waist.

In front of everyone.

Their team lost.

Vivienne blushed.

And Damian didn’t seem particularly embarrassed about being seen holding her.

Evelyn stared.

So the rumors really were true.

Or at least—

They suddenly seemed far less ridiculous than they had before.

Her gaze shifted instinctively toward Anthony.

He was watching too.

Of course he was.

Evelyn’s fingers tightened around the edge of her robe.

She had come here knowing Anthony would be here.

She had spent longer than necessary deciding what to wear.

Her swimsuit was modest compared with some of the others, and she had kept her light robe wrapped around herself for most of the afternoon.

She had told herself she simply wanted to enjoy the party.

But she knew better.

She wanted Anthony to notice her.

She had been waiting for the right opportunity to approach him.

The problem was that he was always surrounded by people.

His friends.

His classmates.

People from his year.

Evelyn didn’t want to simply walk into the middle of them.

It would feel awkward.

So she waited.

And watched.

Anthony was standing only a short distance away.

Evelyn’s heart gave a small, hopeful flutter.

Perhaps now—

Then she noticed where his eyes were.

Vivienne.

Again.

Evelyn’s expression slowly fell.

Anthony hadn’t looked toward her once since Evelyn arrived.

Yet his attention kept returning to Vivienne.

Even after the game had ended.

Even after Damian had caught her.

Even now.

Evelyn followed his gaze.

Vivienne was standing with Claire and Amelia, laughing.

Damian was nearby.

He hadn’t left her side.

Evelyn looked away.

It hurt more than she wanted to admit.

She knew she shouldn’t compare herself to Vivienne.

But how could she not?

Vivienne barely seemed to notice when Anthony looked at her.

She simply laughed.

Smiled.

Flirted with another man.

And somehow—

Anthony still watched.

Evelyn lowered her eyes.

What did Vivienne even want?

She already had Damian’s attention.

Fred had been openly flirting with her.

And apparently, she still had Anthony looking her way.

It was almost absurd.

She seemed to have men everywhere around her.

And yet she still behaved as though she were the center of everything.

A familiar bitterness rose inside Evelyn.

She hated that she felt it.

She hated even more that she couldn’t make it disappear.

Anthony was still watching Vivienne.

Evelyn looked at him again.

She couldn’t stand here forever.

If she kept waiting for the perfect moment, perhaps it would never come.

Then—

The music suddenly faded.

A sharp whistle cut through the conservatory.

The crowd turned toward the platform.

The host raised his microphone.

"All right, everyone!"

Cheers erupted.

"We’ve had enough people getting soaked by accident."

Laughter spread through the crowd.

"So let’s see who’s brave enough to get soaked on purpose!"

The assistants began moving equipment toward the pool.

The host grinned.

"Next up—Shoulder Wars!"

The conservatory erupted.

Evelyn looked toward the pool.

Several students were already cheering and calling out to their friends.

The host waited for the noise to settle before continuing.

"If you want to participate, find yourself a partner and make your way to the pool!"

More cheers followed.

"We’ll explain the rules once everyone is in position!"

Students immediately began turning toward their friends.

Some called out names.

Others were already making their way toward the pool.

Evelyn’s heart gave a small, hopeful flutter.

This was it.

She had been waiting for an excuse to approach Anthony.

Now she had one.

She could ask him to join her.

It would be perfectly natural.

Just a game.

Nothing more.

Evelyn drew a slow breath.

Then, before she could change her mind, she began walking toward him.